The present invention relates generally to a bracket for chairs and, more specifically, to a combination stiffener and ganger bracket.
Convention halls and auditoriums often use individual stackable chairs to provide additional seating during particular events. When not in use, these chairs are stacked and stored. When the chairs are unstacked and arranged for use, it is often desirable to arrange and interlock the chairs into straight rows. This may also be referred to as xe2x80x9cgangingxe2x80x9d the chairs. For this purpose, some chairs include ganger brackets for interlocking each chair with its immediately adjacent neighboring chair or chairs. Ganger brackets typically take the form of some type of hook extending from one side of the chair and a corresponding engagement loop or surface on the opposite side of the chair. Then, two identical chairs may be interlocked by the hook portion of one chair interlocking with the loop or surface of its neighboring chair.
A typical convention chair has a generally horizontal rectangular seating surface with a leg extending downwardly from each of the four corner of the seating surface. One common type of ganger bracket assembly includes a ganger hook bracket that extends between the front and back legs on one side of the chair. The bracket is generally a flat member with a downwardly turned upper edge. The downwardly turned upper edge gives the hook bracket a generally hooked-shaped cross section. Specifically, the hook bracket has a cross section that generally resembles an upside down letter J. The upper hook portion of the bracket extends outwardly from the flat surface and from the chair. The engagement bracket that forms the other part of the ganger bracket assembly is simply a generally flat member which extends from the front leg to the rear leg on the side of the chair opposite the hook bracket. Both the hook bracket and engagement bracket are positioned a few inches below the seating surface and generally horizontal.
In use, two chairs with the same ganger bracket assemblies are positioned side-by-side with the hook bracket of one immediately adjacent the engagement bracket of the other. One chair is then lifted slightly so that the hook portion attached thereto can pass over the top of the engagement bracket on the other chair. When the chair is set back down, the two brackets are inter-hooked so that the chairs are maintained immediately adjacent and parallel to one another.
The above described type of ganger assembly has several shortcomings. First, the hook assembly and the engagement bracket are different from one another, requiring production of two different pieces. Another shortcoming is that if one chair in a series of interlocked chairs is tilted backwardly, the chairs immediately adjacent do not necessarily tilt with it. Fire code for some applications requires that the chairs be more securely interlocked such that if one chair is tipped backwardly its neighboring chairs also tilt with it. Depending on the specific design of the hook bracket and engagement bracket, this design may also suffer from the shortcoming that immediately adjacent chairs may be positioned slightly forwardly or backwardly of one another. This reduces the neat appearance of a row of chairs. It is preferred that the chairs line up precisely with one another to give a very neat appearing row.
As stated previously, the chairs for use in convention halls and auditoriums are preferably stacked when not in use. There are many designs that allow chairs to be stacked one atop another in a space efficient manner. Typically, the front legs of each chair slope generally forwardly and the rear legs slope slightly rearwardly. One front and one rear leg are often interconnected as an inverted U-shaped piece of metal. One of these U-shaped pieces of metal is connected to each side of the seating surface, outboard of the seating surface. When the chairs are stacked, the seating surface of one chair is placed immediately on top of the seating surface of the chair below it with the outboard legs stacking atop one another. One problem with this design is that the U-shaped leg pair of one chair often becomes wedged on top of the U-shaped leg pair of the chair immediately below it. This makes it difficult to unstack the chairs. Therefore, manufacturers may include some type of stacking limiter that prevents one chair from moving too far downwardly on the chair below it. This may take the form of nubs or brackets extending inwardly from the inside of the U-shaped leg pair so that the brackets engage the top of the U-shaped leg pair of the chair immediately below. In this way, one U-shaped leg pair cannot push too far upwardly between the pair above it. A drawback to these stacking limiters is that they require an additional piece of material for each chair which increases assembly complexity and cost.
In light of the above, there remains a need for an improved ganger bracket wherein the hook bracket and the engagement bracket are identical pieces. Further, there is a need for a design that securely interlocks adjacent chairs, is easy to use, sturdy, and leads to neat alignment of adjacent chairs.
There is also a desire for a simpler stack limiter than those presently used. It would be highly beneficial to provide a ganger bracket that also acts as a stack limiter.
The present invention overcomes many of the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a combination stiffener and ganger bracket for a stackable chair. Specifically, the bracket is designed for the type of chair that has a generally horizontal seating surface with four corners and a leg extending downwardly from each of the corners. The bracket has a generally planar body with a first attachment tab at a first end and a second attachment tab at a second end opposite the first end. A hook member extends from a first edge of the body, with the first edge extending between the first and second ends. An engagement means is defined upon a second edge of the body, opposite the first edge. A stacking tab projects from the plane of the body.